31 MARCH 2015

The Boy From Bolton Has Done Good

Khan ready to break into the top 10

By Clive Bernath: As Amir Khan celebrates his 25th birthday today with close family and friends he will no doubt be aware that he is just one fight away from realising his dream of becoming a genuine world class operator with ppv box office appeal.

On Saturday night at the Convention Center in Washington DC ‘King Khan’ defends his IBF and WBA light-welterweight crowns against local hero Lamont Peterson and although he will start a firm favorite to retain his belts Khan is not taking victory for granted knowing that defeat will destroy his dream of facing the very best as a genuine pound for pound top 10 boxer

“I’m only young and I think I’ve achieved a lot in my career already at this age but I feel I haven’t hit my peak yet,” Khan said earlier this week.

“I think within the next couple of years I’ll achieve my dreams and have some of the super-fights that I want. I think I’ll peak around 26 years old, have some big super-fights at around that age and probably call it a day early.

Khan added: “I’ve done a lot of things early in my career and that probably means I can retire early as well.”

“One thing about me is even though I know I’ve got the tools in my bag I still go into a fight like a challenger and stick to the instructions from my corner.

“I go into a fight not thinking I am the best but thinking I’m a normal fighter who just needs to go in there and win the fight to take me to the next level. Because if you start thinking you’re the best and blowing smoke up your own backside then things can go wrong.

All credit to Khan, the aforementioned quotes prove that the British boxer has matured into not only a fine young man and a credit to the sport of boxing but also developed and progressed as a boxer as well.

I say all credit to Khan for good reason. Let us not forget that only three years ago the then unbeaten 21 year-old suffered a potentially career threatening first round knockout defeat at the hands of Colombian puncher Breidis Prescott. Such a ferocious and humiliating defeat for any 21 year-old prospect could have left huge mental scarring and the abuse and ridicule he received on pretty much all boxing forums would have been enough for the average young man to crumble and seek solace in another profession

But then Khan is not your average young man. No sooner had he recovered from the battering at the heavy hands of Prescott, than Khan packed his bags and jetted off to Los Angeles to work with Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach at his wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. Eight fights later Khan is now the WBA and IBF light-welterweight king and on the verge becoming a genuine top 10 pound for pound boxer.

I will be the first to admit that after seeing the way Khan fell apart against Prescott I thought to myself ‘nice boxer, great skills but no chin and lacks the physical strength needed to make it to the top’. Whilst I’m in confession I have to also say that even after the beating he took against Marcos Maidana ‘I worried for his health and safety, thinking he was too brave for his own good’. But on reflection Khan proved that night that he has a massive boxing heart and the desire to become the very best. And if as expected he dispatches of Lamont Peterson in style this weekend then he will command some very big fights up a division at 147lb and be knocking on the door as a pound for pound No.1 contender. who would have thought that three years ago?